Say no to militarism and war: Protest the Quad in Sydney

April 17, 2023
Issue 
Image: Sydney Anti-AUKUS Coalition

The Sydney Anti-AUKUS Coalition (SAAC), with the support of anti-war, peace and environmental groups, is preparing to protest the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad) summit on May 23 at 6pm, Sydney Town Hall.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will host United States President Joe Biden, Japanese PM Fumio Kishida and Indian PM Narendra Modi in Sydney.

US President Joe Biden’s national security adviser said that the US administration sees the Quad as a “foundation upon which to build substantial American policy in the Indo-Pacific region”.

The Quad is being used to prepare for war on China.

More US military bases and exercises in the region will bolster Australia’s own sub-imperial interests.

By signing on to AUKUS, Australia has already made the Asia Pacific region a more dangerous place.

Spending $368 billion on nuclear-powered submarines, a part of AUKUS, will also mean that such huge sums are not going to be used to address the rising costs of living and the housing crisis, among other social need.

Protesters say health, education, social security and renewable energy desperately need more funding, rather than money spent on more war games, such as Talisman Sabre which, this year, is being marketed as the “largest ever”.

Approximately 30,000 military personnel will participate, almost double the number from 2021, from July 22 to August 4, in Queensland, Western Australia, the Northern Territory and New South Wales.

The Quad also aims to draw more South Asian countries into the US-driven anti-China alliance, thereby accelerating the regional arms race.

The Quad, founded in 2007, was revived in 2017 by Donald Trump, Malcolm Turnbull, Modi and Shinzo Abe as a means to militarily and economically contain and counter China.

Labor and other Quad partners justify modernising weapons systems and expanding their military budgets by saying they want to “protect” Taiwan.

In reality it is an attempt to show the US that Quad members are willing to assist in China’s containment, and whipping up racist hysteria is a necessary part of being able to do that.

The Sydney anti-AUKUS Coalition say US military domination of the region, and more US bases in Australia, will not make anyone safer.

The further escalation of tensions with China risks a nuclear war. We have already seen the disastrous consequences of Australian and US militarism in Afghanistan and Iraq.

[Join the protest on May 23 at Sydney Town Hall at 6pm to say no to AUKUS and the Quad, no to war on China. Get in touch with Sydney Anti-AUKUS Alliance if you can help out.]

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